Summer Survival

I killed a scorpion this morning. No…it wasn’t outside where
it belongs! It was bold enough to be on the carpet directly in front of my favorite
spot on the loveseat. That’s where I sit to read and watch television and nap! Honestly…asking
for it. I am a nature lover at heart, but I draw a line in the sand when it
comes to critters living inside my home. Yes, I’ve been known to spray and swat
and stomp more than a few pests!

Surviving the summer in Oklahoma, which apparently provides
the ideal environment for anything with six to eight legs, requires preparation
and daily diligence. I am never without insect repellent when I work in the
yard. (As a precaution I wash it off when I’m finished with my outside chores.)
I am cautious about when and where I work. I especially fear wasps, hornets,
and scorpions so I don’t reach into bushes or move old fallen tree limbs
without a long tool. I am careful to replenish the water tubs that I leave out
for the big critters so we don’t breed the tiny biting ones.

And as if insect attacks weren’t bad enough, Oklahoma should
be famous for its snake population! Since we moved to Oklahoma I have been regularly
greeted by snakes in our yard and even in our pantry, laundry room, and shower.
I stepped on a baby snake once, and then spent a full minute trying to figure
out how to safely get off of it!

Summer also means sunburns, barbeque fires, and drownings. A
news report this morning emphasized the importance of learning to swim. That may
seem odd in a state that is located in the middle of the prairie, but here are
some interesting statistics for you:

Oklahoma has 11,611 miles of lake shore line, which is
slightly less than the estimated combined general coastline of the Atlantic,
Pacific and Arctic Coasts (12,383 miles).

Oklahoma has more lakes created by dams than any other state
in the U.S. (200+)

Oklahoma has over sixty natural lakes.

Oklahoma has 78,578 miles of rivers and streams.

There are also an estimated 9,000 commercial and residential
swimming pools (as of 2009).

I don’t know about you, but I plan to be extra careful
around water, and to stock up this week on sunscreen, insect repellent, and
bandages!

Comments

I didn't realize that OK had scorpions! Snakes, yes -- my brother-in-law used to go to the Rattlesnake Roundup every year, not that I approve of killing critters en masse...

Too many children are in the water without proper supervision and many of them don't know how to swim. Cities have done away with municipal pools and swimming lessons for free. And many black people do not know how to swim according to a study done in Memphis. Unless they fish, it's just not part of their culture they said.

It's been many years since I was even near a swimming pool and I was never a strong swimmer to begin with and I didn't like to get my hair wet! That was when we all ratted our hair back in the 60s and 70s. So silly!